How Could You?
by TimeWaitsForNoone5829
Summary: The war rages on but not everyone has the mind of a Soldier when it comes to it (Set a year after Where did we Go wrong) With the body count from the war forever rising the Civilianists must try to find a way to end the bloodshed before too many men and women die as the army grows further bitter, the Death Star looms in the sky forever waiting for one man to defeat the icy Emperor.
1. How Could You?

Cye stood in front of the view port, tears rushed down his cheeks as he watched a ship dock. In the year since Cali left, he had become someone he hated and he couldn't stand to have company, he just wanted so much more than he had and by wanting more, he lost more. He still had his 'precious Empire' as Cali called it six months ago, he still had his power yet he felt empty. Yesterday he had killed Zoaski, his only remaining friend just because he mentioned her, he regretted it the moment after the blade came clear of Zoaski's neck but that didn't bring him back.

Cali lived in the temple with Leia, Syen and their children, she didn't see Kallium often but when they did meet they would go out for dinner or for a walk, she spent most of her time fixing the Temple, she filled the cracks, cleaned the floors and with Ahsoka's help moved the debris away. She missed Juno's company when the Marek's left with their new baby boy but Juno wanted to go home after six months of living in the Temple. Cali had planned to go back to Naboo with them but Kallium couldn't join her so she didn't go. She wanted to but her responsibilities limited her made her stay and made her hate the way things were.

Juno left the army after she realised that she couldn't carry on being a soldier-mother without someone else around to care for the children while she was away, she hadn't been in any great battles or killed any large amount of the enemy so she was unshaken by the war and all that it had taken from the Civilianists who just wanted their home back in their own control. She named her new son, Kaleb after her clone son Caleb, she wanted to mark his life with something that would be recognised more than a tombstone or monument so she chose her youngest son to bear the heavy name Caleb had left behind.

Ahsoka had joined the Jedi order once more to gain clarity on how her master could betray her like he did, Kallium had let it slide three months after their return to Coruscant at first she didn't believe that her Master could have killed so many Jedi but soon enough she realised that in the memorial that the Jedi had created for their lost allies that Anakin Skywalker wasn't with the dead from order sixty six. He was with the lost twenty-one embodied in stone and left with the other Jedi who fell to the sith.

Galen had returned home with Juno and his children, he had taken the durasteel and boards off of the house and he had felt ok for a time until Target's death rushed back into him and stabbed him in his heart all over again, he couldn't shake it and didn't want to, he felt responsible for Jack's death, he spoke at the boy's funeral and met the boys parents then helped Jack's Father fill Jack's grave as no services had survived or endured threw the war, almost every shop had been taken by one force or the other and the owners were afraid of the same happening to their own shop but Galen he didn't care, he wanted Jack to rest in peace and so he dug and helped to fill Jack Targets grave with his bare hands and a shovel.

The Jedi had begun to form their plans for freeing Kenobi, They had made peace with the Empire but it was fragile, weak at best and they strode to look like they wouldn't try to free Obi-Wan when their true intent was to do nothing less.


	2. A Royal Visit

The day started normally for Cye, he trained and worked himself to the brink then reiterated his orders and formed units to send down to Naboo after he had done what was expected of him he simply left and returned to his solitude. Many thought Cye had killed Zoaski without remorse and without care but they were wrong, Cye was changing, expanding beyond expectation and hating it, he wanted what Galen had but couldn't have any of it. He had tried to appease Cali, he had said so many things and promised so much but she didn't value any of it she just sighed and told him that they could never work as long as he was himself and she refused to ask him to be anything else, he couldn't win so he chose the solitude of his throne room over anything else, no matter how much he needed or wanted something else.

* * *

"Master have you noticed that Ahsoka disappears when it pleases her? And returns in different clothes?" Kallium asked his Master.  
"Young One, you mustn't ask her what she does or why she does it."  
"Why not Master? She shouldn't leave the temple unless told otherwise."  
"Kallium! Do not question her or me for that matter!"  
"I apologise, My Master."  
"Go to meditation, Master Yoda is there waiting for you and Ahsoka."  
"Master, I do not think I should involve myself with Ahsoka, I am not a positive influence on her neither is she for me."  
"Go."  
"As you wish my master."  
"You will learn your place Padwan."

Cali sat in her room on her camp-like bed she hadn't forgotten Cye's question it was like he had burnt it into her conscious and subconscious minds, 'If I was not the Emperor, would you love me?' She knew the answer, she loved him regardless but he would never be a good and honest man, he'd always be feared and never respected and that was part of the reason she couldn't be with him although she wanted to be she knew she couldn't be without making him into someone else. "Mom?" "Kal!" Cali said getting up with a wide smile on her face. "How are you Mom?" "I'm better now, where have you been? What adventures have the Jedi sent you on?" "No Adventures yet but I did visit Tatooine and Kamino last month." "Every time I see you, you look so much older and Jedi-like, you seem annoyed, what is wrong son?" "My Master doesn't want to see that Ahsoka is hiding something from us, she just sweeps it away like it means nothing every time I say anything about it and it is so aggravating!" "Maybe Master Ti does see it but doesn't wish to acknowledge it yet, she wouldn't purposefully aggravate you son, she cares for you like her own son." "I know, I know I just wish she'd let me in on whatever she knows but I am just a apprentice and she doesn't have to tell me, one day she'll tell me." "Son, don't push to hard or you'll fall over, you know that Master Ti is wise and knowledgeable so let her take the lead, let her show you what you need to do that way you will always do things the right way." "Your right Mom, maybe I should slow down."

Kallium spent a hour with his Mother before he was summoned by Ahsoka to her quarters, he left promptly and arrived just before the third mediation session that Yoda hosted.

"You summoned me Tano?" "Yes I did Sericius." "What would you want from a Apprentice?" "I want to know why a Jedi Apprentice followed me three nights ago to a restaurant in the mid levels." "I do not know what your talking about." "You followed me to the restaurant, your not hard to miss in those robes." Ahsoka said her annoyance evident in the way she paced. "Fine, you caught me, I was curious, I apologise." "You forget that you are not a Jedi yet." "Neither are you." "I am more of a Jedi than you are, you forget that you wasn't even born when I was trained." "Your training isn't complete, you failed to complete it over bureaucracy that couldn't be helped! Your Master became a sith so who is more worthy to be a Jedi? It isn't you." "You will learn that your smug demeanour will get you no where." "Your just jealous that I haven't failed like you!" "Just because your Father is the Emperor doesn't mean that you get to walk threw life with a silver spoon in your mouth. You will fail but you will get over it and get back up." Ahsoka said as she cooled off a bit. "My Father has nothing to do with this or me! HE DOESN'T CARE!" Kallium said as he turned on his heel and rushed out of the room with tears welling in his eyes.

* * *

Cye looked down on Naboo, he had asked for a view and his officers hadn't disappointed, the planet looked peaceful from this distance, the destruction wasn't as evident even threw enhanced eyes. Cye had spent hours looking down on the tiny world but it didn't change, the planet still spun and he was still on the Death Star where any hopes he had for him and Cali were dashed. He didn't bother carrying his Lightsabers with him anymore, he didn't need to he was a walking weapon and with his lightsabers with him he could kill before the thought about it. Another four hours past and during that time a battered old ship flew past his window, it looked like a coruscant model but he couldn't be sure until he sensed someone: Kallium Sericius.

* * *

Galen was never home, Juno was becoming increasingly worried about him and didn't hear much of him, she stayed at home with their kids forever waiting for him to return home or for that knock on the door and the soldier behind the door telling her of his death and where to find his body like with Caleb. Something had destroyed him he was a wreck every time she had saw him which was few and far between. He looked like he didn't sleep at all yet he always assured her that he did, he sounded like he was bothered by something yet wouldn't admit to it, Juno couldn't and wouldn't bring their children up with a Father who couldn't keep himself together and that is why she cried herself to sleep most nights.

"Juno! Theres a ship, its course indicates that it'll land 50 clicks north in the shallow part of the forest." Marx shouted.  
"Is it one of ours?"  
"No, its not it looks like the Emperor's shuttle, it'll surely crash, no one knows that forest like us."  
"Emperor's Shuttle? Get Kenan his in my Quarter."  
"Aye, what are we doing?"  
"We are going to see the Emperor."


	3. Plan Of Attack

_**Remember to Vote on the white war poll on my profile!**_

* * *

"Sericius to Keen."  
"Keen here M'lord."  
"Order our soldiers to retreat to Kamino, I want three shadow units to remain on the Death Star, Two KM units also and One unit of usual troopers."  
"Sir? Are you feeling ok?"  
"Never better order the retreat!"  
"Yes M'lord."

Cye had been contemplating ordering the Imperial Army to retreat for eight months, he finally did it in a bid to repair his connection with Galen. By removing himself from the War he would effectively remove himself as an enemy, well that was his thought anyway. Cye left his ship to be greeted by Juno, Marx and Kenan holding blasters to him. Cye dropped his lightsabers onto his belt and put his hands up.

"You are under arrest in the name of the Civilianist Army for war crimes." Marx announced with his lisp.  
"Marx please leave this to me." Juno said as a plan formed in her mind.  
"HIS A WAR CRIMINAL!" Marx and Kenan shouted in unison.  
"Let me deal with him, I know him."  
"All the more reason to let us deal with him Jun." Kenan argued.  
"You know him too. Both of you go home."  
"Juno!"  
"HOME!"  
"Yes Ma'am."

Kenan and Marx gave filthy looks at Juno before they left, when they were safely out of earshot Cye spoke.

"Thank you, Juno."  
"Don't thank me."  
"Juno? We are Friends?"  
"No, we were. Until you chose to be _m__y enemy_."  
"I had no choice, The Empire would have descended into Chaos!"  
"Lets get to the point, I need a favour."  
"We are not friends though?"  
"Well that may change Cye."  
"Then I will do anything."  
"Join the Imperial army with the Civilianist Army, help my husband. His lost Cye."  
"I pulled the army off Naboo."  
"Is that why you're here?  
"No, Kallium is on the planet."  
"You came here, to somewhere where most people want you dead because your son is here? What use to him are you if your dead?"  
"He is the image of me, he is in just as much danger, his DNA will show me in it, he isn't a normal child, his DNA may even be purely mine."  
"Go, but next time you come here I will arrest you unless your here with news of Galen, if so you know my Com frequency."  
"Ok, I will try my best."  
"Cye?"  
"Yes?"  
"It's good to see you."  
"I do not believe that."  
"Why?"  
"Because Juno, I am a monster." Cye said as he turned and walked away, Juno called after him but he ignored her and broke into a light sprint out of the forest. Juno returned home with a lot more on her mind than before.

* * *

Ahsoka carefully slipped out of the temple, she was cautious but not as sharp as she used to be, she didn't notice Shaak Ti waiting behind the entrance pillars, or when Shaak Ti followed her to the dinner. Or when Shaak Ti looked straight at her. Ahsokas mind was elsewhere and she knew it. A man, with a face Shaak Ti recognise and had seen too often, sat opposite Ahsoka, they ordered and they ate, drank and laughed a little before Ahsoka seemed agitated by him, he must have said something unnerving Shaak Ti mused. He held her hand briefly but she pulled it away, shook her head and got up. He seemed to beg her to stay, eventually she did, she sat down they ate desert then Shaak Ti had to back off a bit as they exited together and headed to an apartment, when Shaak Ti could learn nothing more she returned to the temple and consulted Master Yoda before being approached by Cali Bernita, her missing apprentices mother.  
"Master Ti! Master Ti!" Cali called.  
"Yes Cali?"  
"Where have you spent my boy, we were supposed to have lunch together today but he didn't show and I-" Cali said frantically.  
"I have not sent him anywhere, he left the Temple late last night after a argument with Ahsoka over who was the better apprentice."  
"Where did he go?!"  
"Naboo I think, he said something about his father to Maris and she let him go, he'll be back in three days."  
"CYE IS DANGEROUS! YOU LET MY SON GOTO HIM!" Cali shouted at the Jedi Master who looked amused.  
"Cali, I did not allow him to go. He went under his own steam and will return under his own steam." Shaak Ti said calmly.  
"How can you be so cold? Calm and calculating! My boy is with that, that thing and you think he will be ok? THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!"  
"Cali, I cannot interfere, I promised him that he would be allowed to see his parents when he pleased. Cye is his father, I cannot stand in his way."  
"Cye? A father to Kallium? Oh please open your eyes Shaak Ti! Cye isn't here he would rather be on his precious station ruling his wife, the empire."  
"I have my beliefs about Kallium's Father but I keep to my word and that is why Maris let him go."  
"Where is the Death Star? Is it still orbiting Naboo!?"  
"Yes, it is in orbit of Naboo, in a crescent like formation orbit."  
"Where is Leia?"  
"Leia? She is with Syen packing."  
"Where!"  
"In their living area?"  
"Bye."  
"Cali wait!"  
"I have nothing more to say."

* * *

Rex landed on Naboo, he had passed threw the blockade easily from forty degree vertical angle down the side of the Death Star, he was confused by the ships that seemed to be docking to the Death Star and the others that were leaving the system, he used this to his advantage. To his surprise it had worked quite well, he landed inside the Rebel Clones base with ease to be greeted by Gree and a hanful of green, red, yellow and blue armoured soldiers.  
"Captain Rex."  
"Ah Commander Gree, how is the war going? I hear that our death toll is growing rapidly, I do hope the enemies is also."  
"Sir, we are on average loosing ten for every twenty Civies, and eighteen for every ten Imperials"  
"Not as good as I hoped Gree but we will take Naboo by years end."  
"Sir, we have lost too many men to sustain the war for any longer than four months."  
"Have you spoken to Barrel squad? Are they in?"  
"It doesn't look good Rex."  
"Hmm, well it needn't, we have our secret weapon after all, ready four squads for the inter planetary assault, you know the target."  
"Sir, we haven't got one squadron to spare let alone four."  
"I want five hundred sets of boots on the ground by next week is that clear?"  
"I will see what we can do sir, any mistakes could result in Civilian control again, their government has crumbled and their Queen is underground but we all know that the Queen supports the Civies and that most of her guard are in the Civie ranks."  
"We need to even the playing field, we need a reprieve some type of force that cannot be broken by Civs."  
"Like the shields the tinnys used?"  
"Exactly like them."  
"Where would we find a tinny shield? They are all gone."  
"Kashyykk."  
"Kashyykk sir?"  
"Yes, they were invading the wookie homeworld at the end of the war."  
"What should I do? Send men to Kashyykk or start the interplanetary warfare."  
"Kashyykk, if our men keep dropping like flies we will have nothing to gain from taking the capital."  
"Ok Rex, c'mon the men are hungry."


	4. Ultimatum

"Pilot, dock at the Death Star, put a watch on the boy." Cye said as he caught his breath.  
"Sir, his not authorised."  
"Do you know who I am?"  
"No Sir."  
Cye smirked and drew close to the pilot before whispering in his ear "I'm the Emperor."  
"Sir, I will make sure the boy is watched and kept safe."  
"Good now go."

* * *

Rex prowled the private landing pad that sat on top of the compound.  
"Sir, we have word from Commander Gree and his squad on Kashyykk."  
"Ah, I hope Gree's mission goes well?"  
"Yes, sir. It does we have three partial generators, each a different section, Gree has however lost a third of his men to Wookies and indigenous lifeforms."  
"How many sections do we need?"  
"Two more Sir."  
"Does Gree require more men Harsan?"  
"No Captain, they will have secured the missing pieces by sun down tomorrow."  
"Tell Gree that he has done well, in four days he has found three fragments, soon we will be able to connect the fragments and finish the war in our favour."  
"Rex what if we cannot get it up and running?"  
"Then we will either go down fighting and take as many of them with us as we can or we will find another way."  
"I prefer the latter."  
"Harsan, our lives have never been our own, we belong to the Jedi and with the Jedi."  
"I know they will always have that hold over us, do you ever wonder why all of us, wouldn't turn at order sixtysix?"  
"No, I don't. You shouldn't either, every man here has a reason to be loyal, I hope you find yours."

The sound of blaster fire ripped threw Rex's eardrums, he crumpled down slightly before he turned and ran with Harsan into the base The Civilianist's latest acquired pieces of machinery greeted them: Tanks. Rex launched his fighters but knew they would be useless against the tanks as the tanks were from the Grand Army Of The Republic.  
"Sir, we can't get the weak spots exposed, they are using a triangular protective formation to keep any and all weak points impenetrable."  
"Have we got enough men to rush them?" Rex shouted over the warfare.  
"No Sir, we are three squadrons short and Gree is the most skilled man we have for this."  
"Call him back to the front!"  
"Sir the Generators!"  
"They are useless if we aren't here to use them."  
"What about our other base on the pole?"  
"They won't get to us in time."  
"And Gree will?!"  
"Kashyykk isn't that far and he is as you said the most skilled."  
"Sir, I recommend you give him the order, he out ranks me."  
"Of course, set our men on the inside of the Base, we draw them in and gain the advantage."  
"Sir, yes Sir!"

* * *

Galen was on the front line at G Compound, Rebel Clones that had blue and yellow armour were piling in on his small command unit and he could barely hold them back, to his left, to his right, in front and behind him was only death. The enemy had the advantage and Galen knew it and defeat was imminent. A black flash greeted him, it stopped dead in front of Galens lines and activated dark blue lightsabers, the whirl of the blades was too much for Galens eyes to take, it was rapid, uniformed yet unpredictable and the man holding them was non other than his self-made enemy: Cye Sericius.  
The whirling halted as Cye lost focus, he had overheard Galens thought and turned to say something but just as his mouth opened he fell to the floor with blood shooting from his left leg.

The battle ended swiftly, both sides retreated but Admiral Marek did not retreat with his forces, he ran east for what seemed to be hours before he arrived home, a place he hadn't been for a very long time. Galen entered the house with such speed that the sole inhabitant had only the time to raise her head to reveal her tear stained, red ringed face, she had obviously been crying for some time.  
Galen rushed to the kitchen and laid a unconscious Cye on the dinner table.  
"Baby, why have you been crying?" Galen asked as he washed the deep red blood from his hands.  
"Because, I have to ask you something that you won't like."  
"I don't understand babe, what is going on?" Galen asked as confusion painted his face.  
"It's me or the War."  
"What? Jun, what are you saying?"  
"I'm saying that either you stop your erratic behaviour or I want a divorce." Juno replied sobbing so loudly that Galen couldn't understand what she said.  
"Juno! What is going on!" Galen begged.  
"Stop risking your life or I want a divorce." Juno said sharp and clearly. Galen's jaw dropped as he fell to his knees.  
"Juno, I love you, please don't do this, don't ask this of me. I'm begging you." Galen said as he began crying.  
"Galen, I'm sorry but I have to. This cannot go on, your missing our kids lives, you've missed Kaleb's first teps, his first word, everything! and it cannot go on!"  
"Juno you don't understand! I know I'm no Father to our children I let Caleb die, I let Jack die, I am no Father, no Husband and no friend. I do this because I can't let myself think. The Adrenaline keeps it all at bay. Without it I am just a failure. A lost man on a world plagued by chaos."  
"Galen, the children are suffering. You are a good person, don't kick yourself while your down. Stop it all of it!" Juno reasoned.  
"Jun, I can't don't ask me to do this. Please I can't choose like this and don't make me."

* * *

"Ah Ahsoka, I see I haven't missed you I'll accompany you."  
"Accompany me where Master Ti?"  
"To the medical bay?"  
"Medical bay?"  
"Yes, for your physical Evaluation?"  
"Physical Eval?"  
"Yes, everyone has them, its a every nine months thing."  
"Every nine months? I've been here over a year Master Ti."  
"Yes but we didn't know if you were staying. Now that we do you are required to do it the same as everyone else."  
"Does it have to be today?"  
"Yes, the medical droid is waiting."

Shaak Ti was cunning, she knew her apprentice was right, even if he went about it wrong and she wished he had stayed so that she could explain to him that there is a right and wrong way of dealing with Jedi who seem to be breaking the Jedi Code.


	5. Solutions

They Jedi entered the medical chambers, a bead of sweat tumbled down Ahsoka's forehead, and down her tank top, Shaak Ti had been watching her threw out the walk and had noticed her discomfort. The medical droid was a creamish bronze colour and surrounding him was a tray of equipment to take blood, another to take height and another to take scans of the patients body.  
"Master Ti, is this necessary? I'm in perfect health."  
"Yes it is necessary and you can never be too sure of that young one."  
"Master, I just realised that I have to reconfigure my lightsaber."  
"That can wait Ahsoka, why are you trying to dodge this?"  
"I'm not!"  
"Ahsoka, I have known you many years."  
"No, you knew me not know me."  
"You are still the person I knew Ahsoka, your just ten years older now."  
"I'm twenty-six and you still call me young one. Why did you come to Shili?"  
"To find you."  
"Why did you find me? I'm too old to finish my training."  
"No, your not, Masters Yoda, Kota and I are considering giving you the title of Jedi Knight and having you do the trials next week."  
"I haven't the training to be a knight."  
"You will have, don't worry about it, now sit on the examination table, this won't take a minute."  
"Master, I don't want a physical eval."  
"Why?"  
"Because, its a stupid requirement especially when I had a health check just as we arrived."  
"Yes but it has been over a year."

Reluctantly Ahsoka sat dont the bench-like table, it was icy cold and she shivered from it. The droid took her blood and closed the pod off before setting the computer to scan and test it for everything and _anything_ possible.

* * *

Galen worked fast, he had to if he wanted to stop the bleeding, Cye's bone was contorting and blood was everywhere, it covered the floor, the wall and the table on which Cye lay.  
"CYE! CAN YOU HEAR ME? WHERE IS THE ARTERY!" Galen roared as tears still streamed down his face.  
Cye didn't answer, he couldn't because although he was immune to almost all sorts of damage he was still humanoid and it still took time, and in that time, he could die.  
"CYE I DON'T KNOW YOUR ANATOMY! ITS ERRATIC, BLOOD VESSELS WHERE THERE SHOULDN'T BE AND BONES THAT MOVE JUST TELL ME" Galen begged.

The bone stopped contorting and thudded back into alignment, within minutes the outline of the break had vanished and blood vessels had started to wrap around it again, skin grew over it all before Galen could figure out what had happened, hair grew threw the skin and within moments, Cye's leg was identical to his other one.  
"What the?"

* * *

Juno sat by the lake, she had been here before when she found out about Leia and Galen but now it seemed different, the water had a black glow to it and no life was present. Juno felt that the lake reflected her marriage, no life to it and only one person sitting beside it hoping for the best.  
She couldn't get Galen's face out of her head, she had never seen him that way, so damaged, so broken, so lost. He had always been the one to stay strong and bring strength to their marriage and lives yet he was just as lost as Juno had been years before, locked inside her own head, trying to feel nothing and succeeding at times but he was different, he was as if he was holding the world on his shoulders and hoping to balance it all out.  
Fresh tears streamed down Juno's face as she remembered the months she had spent alone and she realised she had let Galen be alone, feel alone and try to take that all in whilst being a Father, Husband and Soldier. She looked over to her suitcase, she couldn't move any further, she couldn't leave him, she looked down to her hands, covered in black ink, from the letter she had written yet smudged with her tears.  
'How can I do this?' Juno thought.

* * *

Once Cye was stable Galen took Kaleb up to his cott and then a door creaked shut before the front door slammed shut. Cye got up, coughing but conscious and slowly got to his feet, the house was silent, nothing moved Cye could hear his own breathing and footsteps as he looked for someone to look after Galen's children, no one in the Imperial Quarter, no one in the Rebel Quarter, the Sericius Quarter was empty so Cye entered the Marek Quarter, it was cold inside and Cye looked for Juno but found nothing but a set of clothes in the bedroom that were on the floor. Kento slept on the sofa and Kaleb quietly snored in his crib.  
"Where is your mommy little guy?" Cye whispered, unable to leave them unattended Cye sat on the dining chair and removed his tunic leaving him in just his dark brown under-shirt, he removed his lightsabers from his discarded belt and attached them to his belt-like thing that was attached to his bare skin underneath his under-shirt.

* * *

Kallium explored his Father's station, it was weird to him that so many people were busied by the contraption from the outside it had looked so simple but inside it was anything but. Kallium eventually found his Father's throne room and snook inside, he noticed the change in décor, and a picture in a crimson frame of him and his mother, it confused him. Kallium walked up the stairs and sat on the throne. He swivelled it to face the viewport his Father stared out of so often. He looked with astonishment at how much he could see, he allowed a smile.  
"Sir? Admiring the view again?" Asked a officer.  
Kallium didn't know what his Father would say or do so he just nodded.  
"You'll find him one day Sir?"  
Kallium froze, who was his Father trying to find? Galen Marek? His uncle Syen? Or cousin Kayl? He didn't know so he decided he would find out.  
"Who are you talking about officer."  
"Your son? Remember, you told me to watch him on the station and I lost him."  
"That... that's quite ok, it's not like I mind."  
"IMPOSTOR IN THE THRONE ROOM!" The officer yelled.

Kallium looked around confusedly, the officer looked him straight in the face.  
"Your Father, doesn't speak in contractions."  
"Oh."  
Guards rushed in and soon thirty plus troopers stood pointing Blaster rifles at Kallium.  
"Stand down! He is a visitor."  
The men mumbled to themselves before heading out.  
"Your my Fathers body guard then?"  
"No, just one of his advisers and I probably know him better than anyone else on the station bar you."  
"You know him better than I do."  
"Why is that?"  
"I have only met him twice maybe thrice in my life."  
"How old are you?"  
"Almost two."  
"TWO?!"  
"Yes, why does that shock you?"  
"You look like a Jedi boy but your not even two years old? I don't believe it!" The officer shouted as his brunette hair shook with his head.  
"I am a apprentice to Master Ti, I'm on a meditative retreat, which I use to see my family."  
"In almost two years you've only seen you parents three times?"  
"No, no, I see my Mother almost everyday, Father chose to be absent from my life."  
"Then why are you here?"

* * *

Cye had picked Kento up and placed him in his bed three hours before the front door opened, Cye glad to know someone who could take care of the children was there rushed down and saw Cali, Leia and Syen with their bags in the hall.  
"The children are asleep. I will be leaving now." Cye said confidently as Syen glared at him.  
Cali looked Cye right in the eye before rushing past him and upto the Sericius Quarter.  
"Thank you Cye," Leia began. "We will take it from here."  
Cye nodded and left leaving his tunic behind..


	6. Trial Of Faith

Cye lingered outside for a short time before he headed south to the main retreat site, he arrived as dusk fell and only a hundred ships remained, men saluted him as he walked past, some stared at him and he didn't realise why until he had gotten to the command centre.  
"Emperor." Lieutenant Joaruz said as he saluted.  
"At ease Joaruz."  
"Sir, may I ask where your tunic is?"  
Cye looked down and saw only his dark brown shirt. "Ah, I have misplaced it."  
"Shall I retrieve it Sir?"  
"No."  
"Yes Sir."  
"What is your transports destination Joaruz?"  
"Kamino Sir."  
"Kamino?"  
"Yes, I am not one of the men assigned to active service on the Death Star Spacestation."  
"Redirect your pilot to the station, I see many promising Officers on your transport."  
"Thank you Sir."  
"Where is Moff Baroq?"  
"He and the other high ranking officers have left for the Death Star after three ships broke off from a convoy and attacked the station."  
"Who is the highest ranking officer here?"  
"I am."  
"Oversee the rest of the retreat then take your station on the Death Star."  
"Very good M'lord."  
"I will see you there."  
"Aren't you boarding my lord?"  
"No."  
"I see."

Cye headed back north toward the Marek's house.

* * *

"You said it was painless!" Ahsoka yelled cradling her arm.  
"It is, unless you move every which way."  
"I didn't"  
"Ahsoka you moved, hence why the droid clipped you."  
"Ugggh! Can I go now?"  
"No, we are waiting for the results."  
"Can't T-whatever send them?"  
"A droid can be corrupted, I would rather wait and get them first hand."  
"Of course Master Ti."

Ahsoka was hoping she wouldn't say that, she had too much to hide and too little time to escape the temple before the results came threw, she wouldn't be able to runaway from it.

"Right now for the physical examination."  
"Physical?"  
"Yes."  
"As in _naked_?"  
"Yes as in naked, the droid needs to take your measurements and size."  
"I'm not comfortable with that."  
"it's part of the examination Ahsoka."  
"I said no."  
"Ahsoka, everyone has had the same evaluation, why are you any different?"

"Your results are back." The droid stated.  
"Good, transfer them to my Datapad."  
"Ok."

Ahsoka knew by the look in Shaak Ti's eyes what the pad said and knew she was in for a extremely long lecture about the Jedi Code.

* * *

"Cye!" Juno shouted.  
"Juno? What are you doing here?"  
"I want to come with you."  
"With me? Where?"  
"To the station, I need to clear my head, would you do that please?"  
"Juno, I do not know, it will look suspicious."  
"It won't. Tell your staff I am aboard to see a friend."  
"And what about Galen?"  
"He won't even notice we're gone."  
"We?"  
"Me and the children."  
"Why the Death Star?"  
"I won't be disturbed there."  
"Yes but you are a Civilianist."  
"Civilianist or not Cye, I want to come."  
"I can not."  
"You owe my family, Galen brought you into my home and the blood will cost us."  
"One week."  
"Ten days."  
"Fine."  
"I'll go fetch the children."  
"We leave in thirty minutes."  
"I'll be here."  
"Good."

Juno rushed back, packed the children's essentials and left, she returned to the ship in twenty minutes flat.

"Come." Cye said.  
"Thank you Cye."  
"You are... welcome."

Cye took the ship up and sat at ease as he waited just before the atmospheric barrier to transmit his safe signal.

"Cye?"  
"Yes Juno?"  
"What did you mean?"  
"Mean by what?"  
"By monster?"  
"Juno, I allowed you to join me, not to lecture me."  
"Sorry."  
"GreenLight0.0000001" Cye said into the transmitter.  
"Emperor welcome home."  
"Home." Cye muttered but even with his muttering Juno heard the slight disappointment in his voice.

* * *

"Marek! To your six!"  
Galen twisted and sliced a Rebel Clone in half before diving up and pulling himself into a ball-like shape before landing on a thick brown branch and throwing his lightsaber at another.  
"Thanks Zan." Galen said to a medium height man with dirty-blonde hair and purple eyes, who was standing blaster in hand at the foot of the tree.  
"No problem Admiral."  
"Forget the title, its just a word."  
"Sir, your title reflects your dedication to the cause and your value to us."  
"I won't be here much longer."  
"Sir?"  
"I'm taking too many chances, too many risks, my wife is past her limit Zan." Galen said as he landed behind Zan.  
"Sir, what if you didn't take chances? Didn't put yourself at risk?"  
"I don't know but my wife means the world to me Zan."  
"Please its Relan."  
"Then call me Galen not Sir."  
"Done deal."  
"Right as I was saying Juno, my wife means too much, there is no point in fighting to save Naboo if I loose Juno in the process."  
"If you leave Galen, the Army will disband, your not only a Admiral but the acting Governor."  
"I have chosen a man to replace me if I do leave don't worry Relan."  
"Well, go sort your family out Galen, as you told me, keep your house in order before all else."  
"What if the rebbies come back?"  
"We will deal with them."  
"Your in command Relan Zan."  
"Thank you Galen Marek."

* * *

The house was silent, Leia and Syen sat to the table sharing the same shocked but not surprised look, Cali sat on the counter, obviously upset yet trying her best not to show it. The house creaked with the wind, as it blew threw a open window in the hall, the patter of little feet was absent and that brought the house to it's misery.  
"So she's gone?" Cali asked  
"Yeah." Syen replied.  
"And the kids?"  
"Yeah, Kaleb and Kento and their things."  
"When is she coming back?"  
"I don't think she is Cali." Leia replied.  
"But! She is Juno Eclipse, she has always been here, why would she just go?"  
"Cali, Galen and Juno were having.. problems."  
"Problems? What do you mean problems Syen!"  
"Galen has been flipping out of control without any warnings." Leia said evenly.  
"What Galen hit her?" Cali said her jaw almost on the floor.  
"No. He has been trying to do the impossible, he has been trying to save every man in the army and he just can't, every war has it's death toll." Syen sighed.  
"I agree with Syen, Cali. No matter how good Galen's intentions are, he just can't do it."  
"I don't know anything about war but I have to agree with you. I don't think Galen is thinking."

Click, the lock on the front door popped unlocked, the door handle shortly flowed with a thud click.

"Hey Kenan, we were just discussing Juno leaving Gal- Galen I'm so sorry." Leia said.  
"Juno's left me?"  
"She took her things and the children."

Galen composed himself before half running half jumping the stairs and stopping dead in front of the Marek Quarter door.


	7. Too Close

"Ahsoka, what is the problem?"  
"I'm just not the get naked in front of near strangers type." Ahsoka said as sarcasm dripped from her mouth  
"I will wait outside and check threw these test results then."  
"Thank you." Ahsoka said dejectedly

Shaak Ti exited the room and just as the door shut and made a slight banging sound Ahsoka removed her shirt.

Shaak Ti, read threw the datapad murmuring slightly as she did so. "No poisons. No toxic substances. Trace amounts of alcohol, high levels of Polymorphonuclear Neutrophils, wait PN's? That means there is a wound... somewhere, a recent one."  
Shaak Ti re-entered the room quickly just as Ahsoka replaced her shirt.

"Your results state that you have high levels of PNs." Shaak Ti stated  
"Pns?" Ahsoka said carelessly.  
"It's to do with the healing process of any being that is humaniod."  
"Healing process?"  
"Yes, now a tiny scratch wouldn't raise a red-flag but a large or several small wounds do, so Ahsoka do you want to tell me what is going on?"  
"I don't know what your talking about."  
"Yes you do. I haven't even begun reading the rest of the data collected by T4 so I will give you a chance to tell me before I continue reading."  
"Back off Master Ti." Ahsoka said bluntly with a growl to it.

* * *

Galen entered his Quarter, he examined every detail from the cot that held nothing but a abandoned teddy bear to the sofa that held a pair of little shoes. Then he spotted something confusing. A black tunic and dark brown belt abandoned beside a messily strewn play matt, with building blocks on it, all left behind to remind him that he was alone.  
"CYE!" Galen shouted in his anguish.

Galen seized the tunic and belt and stared with eyes as hateful as those of his master. He threw it as far from him as possible, it clunked into the wall leaving a large metal capsule mark in the wall and the capsule that caused it on the carpet, split in two and showing a blue crystal ring.  
Galen double took and in the process his eyes changed for a split second, from brown to deep yellow and bloodshot and then back again.  
"Galen what is it?" Syen asked from the open door.  
"Cye." Galen managed to splutter out.  
"What about him?"  
"Get my A wing ready."  
"Galen what is going on!"  
"I'll do it myself."  
"Galen wait!"  
"No, I will not wait!" Galen said his voice violent, his posture defensive.  
"Let me come with you."  
"NO!"

Galen stormed out, he dived over the bannister and rolled to the front door which he slammed without realising it.

* * *

Juno smiled as Kento tried to hoist Kaleb up and fail miserably. She then took the baby and put him in the crib Cye had provided. She then fell back and eased to sleep for a few hours.  
"Perimeter alert. Perimeter alert. Guards to the Throne Room, Guards to the Throne Room. I repeat Perimeter alert. This is not a drill." Juno woke as sirens wailed and the same five sentences rang every two minutes, shuffling and scuttling out side were several units of troopers, Juno put Kento in his bed and locked the room then crossed across the living area before she opened the main door and slipped outside.  
"What is going on?!" Juno said to a passing officer.  
"There's a perimeter alert return to your quarters."  
"I used to be a Pilot let me help."  
"Its internal not external."  
"Yes but-"  
"No, back to quarters."  
Juno nodded and allowed him to pass before she realised, the throne room must have been were the breach was for them to send guards there, external threats do not summon Guards to the Throne. She ducked down a corridor and down a few others before she entered a vacant lift up to the throne room. She was surprised at this as she expected the whole section to be closed off or guarded with the amount of troopers that were sent.

She heard the familiar hiss and snap-hisses of lightsabers and drew her blaster even though she knew it to be ineffective. She entered and panned left before seeing the colours. Dark blue was defensive where as yellow was everything but, the yellow lightsaber was reckless and often attempted to take the blue's wielders head clean off. The blue was efficient and calm it parried blows and didn't even attempt one in return whilst the yellow was off balance.

"Galen!?" Juno called to her husband, the Yellow's wielder.  
Galen didn't reply he just continued swinging.  
Kallium was frozen in the corner it seemed as though he could not use his body and his lightsaber was deactivated in his hand.

Finally Cye attacked yet it was in defence, he kicked Galen in the stomach and then swiped his lightsaber from his hand before throwing it into a vacant conduit. Cye then threw his at the conduit after the force had closed it and sealed the panel with it.

"I do not want to fight you Galen."  
"You, you slept with my wife!" Galen said anger dripping from a cold voice.  
"No."  
"I found your tunic. I found her clothes. I am not stupid Cye!" Galen roared.  
"I did not sleep with Juno."  
"YOU DID YOU FILTH!"  
"I didn't sleep with Cye Galen." Juno said tamely.

Galen seemed to explode and in the process he snatched Kallium's lightsaber and held it to Cye.  
"Either kill me or admit it and die."  
"Galen, I will not do either."  
"This is KM209182 to the Emperor, Emperor is everything ok?"  
Galen slashed the panel with the blue blade he held.  
"They will come in here Galen, stop this stupidity now and leave."  
Galen slashed out at Cye, Kallium's blade was unbalanced in Galen's hands as he was unused to the heaviness. Cye blocked each blow and parried one into a circular console.  
"Stop it Gal!" Juno shouted at her husband as Kallium suddenly un-stiffened and fell to the floor.

* * *

"Why are you scared of me finding out about your boyfriend Ahsoka?"


	8. Verbal Conflict

Galen stood still, his face that of his younger self, rage, anger, pain. He watched Cye's straight unyielding face and then Juno's kind yet frightened face, he watched as Kallium raised his hand and called the lightsaber from his own hand and held it ready.

"Kallium, go and take Juno outside." Cye instructed.  
"But Father-"  
"No, go now."  
"Yes Father."

Galen watched as Juno disapeared from sight with Cye's identical son. Cye deactivated his lightsaber and placed it on top of the sparking console.  
"Please, sit down." Cye said.  
"No."  
"I insist."  
"I have no reason to sit with my enemy."  
"We are not enemies; Not any more."  
"You may not see me as you enemy Emperor but I see you as mine and I will forever see you as my enemy."  
"You have no reason to be my enemy."  
"Yes I do Emperor. You decimated patriotic men. Men who only wished to stop their planet burning with your rule."  
"I did no such thing."  
"You have blood on your hands Emperor and they will never come clean. It doesn't matter if someone else does your dirty work the blood still sits with you."  
Galen turned on his heel and began to leave when Cye ripped him from his exit and activated his blade just in front of Galen's throat.  
"I have no blood on my hands, I left the war we pulled out." Cye broke his control and allowed his anger and hurt to flow into his words.  
"The Durasteel-Man finally shows that he is human like the rest of us. Well done Emperor."  
"You think this is funny Marek? I could have ended you months ago, years ago but I did not because you mean something to me, you are like a brother that is not the same as me. Do you think I would stop my war effort over trivial matters? No, I would not. Be aware that I know you better than you think."

Cye glared into Galen's deep brown eyes and watched as the bitterness fought the friendship they once shared, he watched as the hate dissipated as the rage was caged and as Galen returned to his laid-back self yet Galen wasn't the same. He wasn't the man who freed Cye, or the man who helped in the assassination of Palpatine; no, Galen had evolved and Cye was left behind.  
Cye freed Galen and replaced his lightsaber on the console before Galen considered him then emphasised himself as he sat down. 

"Did you sleep with my wife?" Galen asked in a gentle and calm yet menacing voice.  
"No."  
"Why were you clothes in my Quarter?"  
"I looked after your son's, no one else was in the house."  
"Why were Juno's clothes on the floor of my bedroom?"  
"They were not there when I watched over the boys."  
"Why is Juno here?"  
"She wanted somewhere to escape to. I gave her a safe place to be."  
"Why did she want to escape?"  
"I do not know."  
"Why did you let her stay here?"  
"Loyalty."  
"Loyalty? Loyalty to who!"  
"You, her, myself."  
"You are not a loyal man."  
"Loyalty is not my strongest trait no."  
"Where are her Quarters?"  
"Section J."  
"Thank you."  
"You are welcome Galen, just be sure to come and see me when you are ready."  
"Aye." Galen grunted before he turned and left.

* * *

"I have not got a boyfriend Master Ti." Ahsoka was not far from shaking from her nerves.  
"Then who is that clone you see?"  
"I do not see any of the old republic's clones."  
"I didn't say republic clone."  
"Well it was what you meant."  
"Well I hope you and him are happy together."  
"You're speaking non-sense! I lead the life of a Jedi."  
"Yes you do but you also have personal attachments, namely to this man."

* * *

"Cali?" Leia shouted  
"Yeah?" Cali said as she emerged from the kitchen.  
"Why did you come back?"  
"Kallium."  
"I thought he was on assignment with Master Kota?"  
"No, he went after Cye."  
"Cye?"  
"Yes. He and Ahsoka argued I believe and then suddenly he is on some sort of soul searching mission."  
"Brilliant, what time do we depart?" Leia asked.  
"Excuse me?"  
"What time do we go, you know to find Kallium and bring him home."  
"No I don't think we should interfere. Kallium is... old enough -mentally anyway- to deserve and need to know his Father."  
"His Father is a dangerous man Cali. He k-"  
"What was you going to say?!"  
"He killed your mother, he kills people Cali. He doesn't even need to be provoked. Cye isn't the man you loved, that was smoke and mirrors and I know it and so do you."  
"Leia, you don't know what you're talking about."  
"I do."  
"It wasn't your Mother that he killed."  
"No, but he did kill Padme's Father."  
"Han Solo?"  
"Yes."  
"I thought Padme's Father was one of Cye's brothers.."  
"No."  
"Oh."  
"Do you really want Kallium to be with a monster?"  
"Cye is no monster. His misguided." Leia stood and regarded Cali with such disgust that Cali thought Leia was going to kill her.  
"He kills parents and leaves children without Mothers or Fathers. You're too young to understand."  
"Too young to understand? Yet old enough to have a son? Is that what you mean? Or do you think I'm too young to have Kallium too?"  
"Cali, you aren't even twenty yet."  
"I don't care!" Cali said as she stood almost nose to nose with Leia.


	9. Aggression

"You do know that Cali and Cye are on and off like a light switch right?" Syen said scowling at Leia.  
"Yes I didn't mean to offend her Sy."  
"Well, I think we had better go on a long holiday." Syen said pushing his hair back.  
"No, Cye wo-"  
"You said it yourself; he doesn't need to be provoked but you have provoked him so go and pack, I'll sign off until this blows over." Syen commanded his face stern.  
"Cali isn't going to tell Cye anything."  
"I am not going to risk Kayl or Padme Leia."  
"Padme is my daughter not yours."  
"Oh so now you don't need me to wake up in the middle of the night or feed her she's just yours? OK then Leia, Kayl is my son, Leia is your daughter, Kayl and I are leaving first thing in the morning."  
"Kayl isn't even your son!"  
"He is to me." Syen said as he slammed up the stairs and smashed into their room. Leia sighed she just should of kept her mouth shut.

* * *

"Captain Rex from the 501st." Ahsoka answered, all she seemed to do was answer questions.  
"He was in Anakin's squad." Shaak Ti mused.  
"Yes."  
"Why did he not turn."  
"I don- He wasn't susceptible to Palpatine." Ahsoka said nervously.  
"Is he the Father?"

* * *

Cye stared threw his viewport down at Naboo. He tore his hungry eyes away from the planet and sat on his throne. It didn't feel right. He got up and entered his quarters and sat on his armchair; he wasn't comfortable.  
"Father?" Kallium greeted with a smile.  
"Ah, yes son?" Cye said getting up again and shaking his son's hand.  
"I was wondering if I... could maybe, if it's okay with you... stay here for a while." Kallium said over the course of a few minutes.  
"Yes, yes of course you may but may I ask why Kallium?"  
"I prefer Kal.. and well I don't want to be at the temple at the moment."  
"Come let us explore the planet." Cye said hoping his son would accept.  
"Mom is down there though. I sort of didn't tell her I was leaving the temple..."  
"Your mother will just be happy to know your safe Kallium."  
"Can we go and see her?"  
"If you want."  
"Thanks Father."  
"You are welcome now go and get ready your quarters are three doors down to the right." Cye said trying to sound enthusiastic at the thought of seeing Cali.  
"Ok, meet you in the Hangar?"  
"No, the Cargo bay in section F, my shuttle is there is white the only one of its kind."  
"Ok." Kallium said awkwardly before turning and running off up the corridor.

Cye walked down to the Cargo bay as his men parted to allow him passage. _Is this really what I want?_ Cye thought as he entered the bay to see Galen Marek standing beside his ship. Cye walked rather quickly over and stood just out of lightsaber reach from his old friend.  
"Cye, Juno wasn't in her quarters, neither was Kento," Galen started as he settled one year old Kaleb.  
"Kallium took her there personally, he did not say anything about her leaving."  
"Cye she isn't there."  
"I will set a squadron to look for her." Cye said turning around and walking away.  
"No. Let her do what she wants, when she appears again tell her I'll be waiting at home for her."  
"Home... Yes of course."  
"I may not always like you Cye but I think it's time for you to come home."  
"I am home Galen." Cye said turning around to face him.  
"No, you're not home is on Naboo and you know it."  
"I chose to be here, this is my home."  
"Home is where your heart is. Not where you chose or want to be."  
"A heart is an organ nothing more. We feel only due to chemicals Galen."  
"You know what I mean." Galen said with a smug smile.  
"You are most likely needed on the battle field." Cye said uninterested in the war as far as Galen could see.  
"There's no fighting, the Rebbies aren't attacking an neither are we so Naboo gets some peace I guess." Galen said thumbling with his retrieved lightsaber.  
"Well my reports state clearly that there is fighting five hundred clicks from your home." Cye said not breaking their eye contact.  
"No, no."  
"Galen, go take a ship whatever you need." Cye said his brown eyes melting as his mask slipped.

Galen paced. _Was Cye lying to him?_ Galen clipped his lightsaber onto his belt and nodded his thanks before scrambling into the nearest ship; Cye's shuttle.

* * *

"I don't know what you're talking about but I have had enough Master Ti." Ahsoka said as she stood up and wheeled around to leave.  
"You're not in trouble Ahsoka."  
"Of course I'm not, I haven't done anything."  
"If this was the old order, you'd be expelled you know what I mean."  
"Well if the Jedi weren't so dedicated to a code that is no longer applicable to us maybe my Master would have killed Sidious instead of joining him!" Ahsoka said forgetting herself and her place.  
"We did not know of his... predicament. We thought a Jedi should be self-isolating, we were wrong as if you block yourself with contradictions you cannot live and therefore have no experience in order to help others." Shaak Ti said calmly as she closed her eyes.  
"Oh so it only took ninety-nine percent of the order's deaths to teach you a lesson!" Ahsoka said as she rolled her eyes.  
"We did not know."  
"Yeah 'cause everyone was too scared at the thought of failing to be the perfect Jedi!"  
"Enough!" Kota shouted entering the room. "I could hear you from my chamber. Don't you get that even Jedi need to sleep!" Kota growled as Ahsoka shrunk back into the wall and skirted towards the door.  
"Padwan Tano. I have not finished with you." Shaak Ti said.  
"Let the kid go she's obviously worked up."


	10. Puppeteer's And Prisoners

Galen saw the sky darkening as he rampaged through the forest, green branches attacked his navy clad torso and small plants dirtied his pure white armour. He scuttled through a thinning area and into a clearing for the first time since he had landed he saw the sky, even though darkness was taking control he could see thick plumes of smoke rising. Cye had not lied.  
He made haste he didn't admire the sky for a second more than necessary; his forces were weak and couldn't survive further onslaught by their stronger more vicious enemy. He ducked as he heard a large and radiating explosion, he covered his ears but they still rang painfully. He closed his eyes but he was still disorientated. Seizing his small black pistol and combat knife he stalked forward the need to protect stronger than the quieting voice telling him he'd lose either way.  
Another explosion erupted not far from him, with no protection from the fall out dirt and rubble or from the shock of the blast Galen fell his knife clambered to the floor with a clink. BANG.  
Rubble fell from the sky, as a dazed Galen failed to move another strike crashed to earth from the illuminated sky showing Naboo its attacker, an Imperial star destroyer.

* * *

Syen stared at the stars as they passed like beams of light dancing around his ship, he smiled at the boy curled up asleep in the co-pilots seat gently snoring the time away. Syen's blood ran cold when he thought of his lover alone on Naboo with a child he saw as his own. Knowing that Cye would not show mercy on them made him want to turn back but he knew he couldn't. His first duty was to Kayl; he had decided that years ago and wouldn't fail his son and he would have to keep to it.

The ship jolted as they exited hyperspace within sight of the temple. He sighed. _There is no going back now._

* * *

Kento skipped around the amazing grey ball, he smiled as two black clad men rushed over and away from him holding what looked to the three year old toy guns. He looked up and saw a dark ceiling and then turned and entered a large room with life sized ships just waiting for him to play with. He jumped up and down until he slipped and fell and ended up seeing a stern looking man he recognised as his Father's friend and a man he didn't recognise with a calming face. He got up and stood still unsure of what to do. His hand fidgeted behind his back, there was never a more nervous child in Kallium's mind.

* * *

"Ahsoka what do you know about the Rebbies?" Cali asked curious and in need of an answer that was helpful.  
"Rebbies?" Ahsoka diverted attention from the question consciously.  
"The Rebel Clones." Cali was prompt, she had to find away of weakening them she was watching the closest friend's [that she had ever had.] marriage disintegrate and she knew their marriage was solid before the war erupted and Galen went off to fight and most likely die in the war.  
"Why would I know anything about them."  
"Because you're fucking one of them."  
"Wow, you don't know how to be subtle."  
"Well subtlety has never been my strong suit."  
"No kiddin'" Ahsoka diverted again. _Good, the longer the better._  
"Well what do you know about Rex's army."  
"Nothing."  
"NOTHING!?"  
"That's right, we just talk."  
"Yeah and talking got your pregnant right?"  
"Pregnant?"  
"Everyone knows 'Soka. No point in lying now."  
"If I did know something what would you do with it."  
"I'd tell the Marek Family."  
"Why not your Husband?"  
"Oh my Ahsoka, I'm not married to Cye. We just... Got together and had a baby."  
"I see." Ahsoka said before deciding to come clean to a teen that she barely knew but she knew this girl to be honest and she knew that Cali Bernita knew what was right better than she did. "Cali, come with me."  
"Where?"  
"Naboo, I need to tell you something but it is better to show you."  
"Show me what?"  
"The reason for the war. It's all a game, played by one man and we are all his pawns yet Rex is his king and Galen is the opposing King fighting for territory but Rex isn't fighting to take over Naboo to make it Jedi friendly Cali. His taking it even if he loses his men, more will come."  
"Why?"  
"Because the puppeteer is making his men."  
"How do y-"  
"Because, the puppeteer is an old friend of mine."

* * *

Buried beneath six layers of debris lay the aching body of a broken man, he lay there alone in the darkness eyes sore with cold as snow fell from the shattered heavens that he could barely make out, the light had faded and the ship was long gone, destroyed by Civilianists but the debris failed to burn up in the atmosphere and fell on the already incapacitated soldier. He didn't think he had been there too long until the heavy footsteps of booted feet intruded on his solitude.  
"I'M HERE! I'M UNDER HERE!" Galen shouted at the top of his lungs.  
"It's a Civie!" Shouted that dreaded voice of a Rebel Clone.

_Oh god. No. I can't be executed no! _Galen thought as the little voice inside his head that had told him not to go.

* * *

"Rex want's the planet because he can take the inner core from the Naboo system, he has it planned. Rex is unaware that the clones he is recruiting are freshly made, the Puppeteer wants the Inner Core I don't know why." Ahsoka confessed still unsure of how much to tell Cali.  
"The whole Inner Core?"  
"Yes, the next attack is here. Rex doesn't want me here, they're going to bomb the entire planet but leave the temple unscathed."  
"Why?"  
"Rex thinks he is doing this all for the Jedi. He thinks by taking the inner core he will free them from exile."  
"They aren't in exile anymore."  
"No, they aren't but he isn't the same as before he has been corrupted, I've been trying to end things with him for months."


	11. Snap-Hiss

They hung him by his wrists, the binders restricted his wrists and left harsh red marks. Galen wasn't afraid; he was sure that torture wasn't on the agenda until Rex strode in, his white and blue armour without imperfection. Rex looked at Galen, a look soldiers give one another; sympathetic and yet sinister.  
"Oh how the mighty have fallen." Rex opened the conversation.  
"You're telling me, boy Rex I thought you had more class then dungeons without windows!" Galen laughed.  
"Hah. Yeah well I couldn't let you escape." Rex smirked.  
"Me escape? Never."  
"Try if you will, if you can find a way out I'll let you go." Rex said fiddling with his helmet.

Sweat dripped from the men was it just Galen or was it hot in there? He couldn't tell but he saw a bead of sweat on Rex's forehead so he presumed it wasn't just him.  
"Well try then Marek, don't you have a family to return to?" Rex said as the orange light danced across his armour.  
"No."  
"No? Just no Marek?"

* * *

Kallium looked down at the small boy who shied away from the unfamiliar man. The boy wore a red shirt and check brown shorts with small black and red trainers. Short brown hair sat messy on the boys head and big brown glossy eyes looked away. Kallium looked like his Father except he didn't share the glint that was unique to Cye. He kept his orange hair short and had a pale complexion, his cheeks had never burned red and he had never had much colour to him at all. He always seemed to be smiling whereas his Father, always kept his stern straight line.  
"Kento Marek?" Kallium said his voice alive with kindness.  
"Yes.."  
"I'm Kallium, Kallium Sericius but you can call me Kal. Where is your mother?" Kallium said as he crouched down to the boys level.  
"I don't know where Mummy is."  
"Ah, how about we go on an adventure?"  
"Adventure?"  
"Yeah, an adventure to find your Mummy." Kallium said aware of his Father looming over his shoulder like a phantom.  
"Ok.. Can Cy come."  
"Huh? Oh yes of course. If you're not busy that is Father?"  
"I'm not busy, I was just hoping for time with you."  
"Well little Kento lets go find your Mummy."  
"O-Kay."  
"Good lets go."

Kallium picked the boy up as he regained his height.

* * *

The knife sliced threw his flesh and blood freely poured from the newly opened wound. He grunted but refused to scream. The sadistic interrogator smirked under his white and black helmet.  
"Where is Governor Korak?"  
"Go to hell!"

Galen was surprised to hear the familiar _snap-hiss _of his lightsaber, the glow boosted the dim light of the cell and was reflected by the shine of the clones helmet.

"Last chance Marek. Where is Korak?"  
"Fuck off Rebbie."  
"Hahaha you think Rebbie is an insult?"

The blade drew closer to Galen's shirtless torso. The heat made the man withdraw from it, his flesh tingled with prickly pain; the clone halted and de-activated the blade, he placed it with his other tools; a blunt fragment of a pole, A blackened sword, a vibroblade, a dagger, a blaster, a needle six inches long, a jar half filled with blue liquid, another seven jars with green, turquoise, red, orange, yellow, pink and black. More blades, clean and dirty alike were laid out beside the others.  
"Why do you keep silent? You have been here for three weeks and no attempt to free you has been made. Korak, where is he?"  
"Why do you think that I would betray my planet? Pain is nothing to me Rebbie."  
"Have you ever been injured by a lightsaber? I have." The Rebel Clone said removing his helmet.

His flesh was as if it had melted over his eye, a large scar ran down his jaw line, six tiny scars surrounded his upper left eye and his shaved head retained seven thick scars all of which seemed to be from a lightsaber, all were in lines or dots the size of the tip of the blade.

"You see? Your kind are just as corrupt as any man can be. Jedi are not as pure as everyone once made out and anyone who wields one of those things is dangerous."  
"I thought you Clones Rebbies or whatever you call yourselves were fighting the Empire to allow Jedi t-"  
"Yes and no. We want rights. You think that you can do whatever you want to us, you make us so we know nothing of normality so there is millions of men with the same face. We were bred to die Marek and everyone just excepted it. Acted like they couldn't do anything and my whole unit died in a pointless battle with Tinnies when the planet was already taken."  
"Then why are you fighting to take over my world? Why are your men killing Soldiers and innocents alike? The war is between your kind and the Army for Naboo why burn houses down with the children still inside? Your kind burnt my house down and threatened my family in doing so. My wife almost died."

The clone paced. He removed his front armour and stood before the Admiral in his short sleeved under shirt.

"Rex. He needed to make a point."  
"And what is your name Soldier?"  
"Harry Forne."  
"Harry?"  
"Yeah. A Rebbie with a normal name. I lived here before the war."  
"Then why are you fighting to take it over with a corrupt man! You know that Naboo was paradise before this trivial conflict so why are you the Interrogator? The torturer in a Dungeon like cell, how long has it been since you've seen sunlight? How long has it been since you've seen moonlight on the lakes?"  
"Enough you are a prisoner of the R.A.F.J. and I am the prison Master."  
"You can leave and feel all that again."  
"No."

Harry turned and snatched up the lightsaber hilt that had laid abandoned. _Snap-hiss. _He advanced on Galen, his footsteps echoed threw the room as the heat radiated onto Galen's bare skin. The yellow light was unwavering and as soon as it connected Galen could no longer refuse his screams.


	12. Cloaks and Blunt Daggers

Four weeks had passed by the time Galen was left alone again, he was tired and cold although his body was on fire from infection. He was thin and fragile, bones wrapped in skin. Forne refused to speak with him again and would just bark questions which were to go unanswered at him and when he failed to answer he would be tortured until Forne was removed and replaced with Gree's right hand man Joze who would ask the same questions without torture. It was like good cop bad cop except it didn't work as well. Galen hadn't said a word since his encounter with Harry Forne. He didn't care much for Joze, he looked as though he had never seen the war and was without experience, Galen wouldn't even acknowledge Joze's presence but Joze didn't mind much. He would rather Galen got a rest then shouted and screamed at him.

* * *

"Where could he be Cali." Juno asked as she peered over into Kento's play pen to see the boy asleep.  
"I don't know, Kallium told me last week that Galen went to fight near the university."  
"I checked the barracks three times this week, he isn't there. What if something dreadful has happened to him." Juno said her eyes watery.  
"Maybe he went to the temple?"  
"No, Kota told me yesterday that they haven't heard from Gal at all."  
"What if he has been taken prisoner Jun?"  
"Don't."  
"Don't what?"  
"Don't say that, he has to be somewhere safe."  
"Look, I was waiting to tell you and Galen together but Ahsoka knows a lot about the Rebels."  
"'Soka?"  
"Yeah. She's with Rex."  
"Rex?"  
"The main man of the Rebel Clone's army."  
"But she is a Jedi? The Jedi are backing the Civilians."  
"Yeah don't I know it, she's caused a stir in the temple."  
"Why?"  
"She's pregnant by a Republic Clone."

The women regarded each other as they gossiped, Juno expressed her shock easily and didn't bother to try and mask it she rubbed her tired eyes and eventually someone rapped on the front door, a proud and confident series of bangs alerted them to a formal visitor who stood in robes behind the wooden door.

"Uh, come in." Juno said getting up from her seat  
"It's only me and Father, hope you don't mind Mrs. Eclipse." Kallium said smiling as he stepped over the thresh hold.  
"Kal, your mother is here."  
"Oh shit."  
"Yeah."  
"Juno." Cye greeted.  
"Cye."  
"Who is it Jun?" Cali said as she walked out of the living room to set eyes on a blaze of orange hair and a pair of handsome men.  
"Cali." Cye said formally.  
"Cye... I didn't know you were on world."  
"I was not until Kallium decided he would like to come down. It took us a while but we arranged our trip."  
"I see."  
"Erm.. How about we have some tea? Eh? Kallium come and give me a hand please." Juno said as she wheeled around and headed for the kitchen.  
"Sure Mrs. Eclipse." He said as he headed after her.  
"Juno. It's Juno Kal." Juno stated as she filled the kettle and put it on to boil.  
"Oh yeah right sorry I forget these things."  
"No problem."

* * *

"What is the range of Compound B's defensive systems!?" Forne asked.  
"Go to hell."  
"You're already in hell Marek."  
"It's colder than I imagined."  
"What is the range!"  
"Zero meters." Galen said snidely.  
"Zero?"  
"Hm, you clones don't know sarcasm do you?"

* * *

Jedi Master Shaak Ti, sat in council with her fellow Masters, Yoda the small green elf like creature was deep in thought, his grey wispy hair was messy as if he had not slept in a few nights. Kota an old man who was blind with no colour other than white, he was strapping and built to be a soldier, he hadn't truly left the war, physically he had but mentally he was still in the Clone War surrounded by droids with his lightsaber held strong in his withered hands. An outsider sat opposite her old master, she wasn't by any means a Jedi Master but she had passed the trials and became a Jedi Knight after years of hoping for just that to happen. Her name was Maris Brood, she wasn't old or grey but she did have wisdom that surpassed her age. The group sat together in a meeting of the minds, even if every person in the quartet was greatly troubled by the outside world.  
"Know this, we do not." Yoda said after the longest silence of Maris' youth.  
"Master Yoda, Ahsoka is troubled. I believe Miss Bernita is in need of the information she processes and I believe Ahsoka would be more than happy to give it to her."  
"The girl won't rat out her boyfriend, she has been away from the order for too long. She should not have come back." Kota argued.  
"If I may Masters, I think Ahsoka, can thrive within our order, she was once a very fulfilled Padwan, her missions were more often than not successful, she is bright and headstrong and I believe young Ahsoka can and will prove this if you give her the time she so richly deserves." Maris gave her unaltered opinion to the Masters who surrounded her.

The Masters looked at the Knight, Shaak Ti smiled, Yoda considered her and Kota grumbled under his breath as usual.

"Maris has a point, Ahsoka thrived before and will do again but there is something we have over looked. She once or still does love Rex, a clone we created to fight the war, she still lacks knowledge and may just think that Rex is right in this."  
"No, no I don't think Ahsoka will. She seems to hate Rex on some level." Maris said unafraid to overstep the line.  
"And that makes her unpredictable Maris."  
"Yes, of course Master Ti."  
"A dark place, this is. Know our way, we do not."


	13. Code Of Ethics

"Sir, we have intelligence on a Admiral G. Marek."  
"Throne Room in five minutes, not a second later." Cye said bluntly.  
"Yes Sir."  
"Oh and Corberin?"  
"Yes Sir?"  
"Contact the Marek family, they live on the Naberrie Estate. Their frequency is logged under J. Eclipse. I want a them at the meeting."  
"Physically or holographically M'lord?"  
"Either will do."  
"Aye Sir."  
"And fix the doors in section J-3."  
"Of course."

Cye allowed himself to do something he had shied away from; he smirked. It was a brilliant feeling for the icy Emperor to feel, it danced happily across his face and left him with a higher tolerance than usual. He then turned to the viewport, it was the same as ever except Naboo could not be seen from it. The Death Star had begun to draw it's own orbit and this concerned the technicians greatly but it did not bother the young ruler, he was aware of the problem as he was the problem. He had tilted the station and let it drift, he was sick of seeing a dream of what could have been and so he had took action, unnecessary action which was unusual for him.

* * *

"Maris!" Ahsoka shouted, she was constantly tired and had been shunned by most of the old Jedi but Maris had refused to shun her, they had known each other for years and Ahsoka felt that Maris would always fight her corner when it was needed, a week ago Ahsoka had found who her allies were and they were actually her. She had only one companion she could truly rely on but the Jedi could not be blamed for this. The Jedi were still up in arms about her pregnancy, they had never once had to deal with such a thing as Jedi were not supposed to have children as they were to lead solemn and isolating lives full of peace and light not full of children and ex-padwans.  
Another thing that did not allow them to rule in her favour was the fact that she was once the Padwan of Anakin Skywalker or as he was renamed; Darth Vader. His betrayal and fall did not give her any margin for error in fact it made the other Jedi expect her to be perfect which was unfair to say the least.  
"Ah hello there." Maris said beaming at her friend.  
"Hi, I was wondering, when is the mission?"  
"Mission?"  
"Yes, to free Master Kenobi. The others are holding things from me, there are whispers that I have betrayed the Jedi Order like my Master. You are the only Jedi next to Master Kota that will talk to me and Master Kota isn't exactly perfect Maris, why am I the outsider?"  
"Oh, Ahsoka, the other aren't excluding yo-"  
"They aren't exactly including me."  
"Let me finish, please?" Maris said gaining a nod from her peer. "They aren't excluding you, they are just being careful **of **you. They must tread carefully as they do not know to who your loyalties are, they do not want the chaos of you taking after Skywalker or the chaos of being supportive of you, they are still working on the code and I fear the code will still call for your expulsion from the Order, they have yet to reset the fundamental rules of our new start. I have been assured that the new code will have a clear unmistakable take on relationships which go beyond friendship and may become sexual,"  
Ahsoka snorted and bent over with false laughter, eventually she faked regaining her composure and coughed a few times with a larger than life smirk coating her orange face.  
"Ahsoka. The Je-"  
"No, Maris you have said you piece please allow me to say mine."  
"Of course, please do."  
"I have been shunned by the other Jedi, they look down on me as if I have committed a crime against the force itself and I am supposed to be OK with that? I was once a successful apprentice to Anakin but everyone sees the fact that I was his apprentice to be a bad thing. My master was a good man, he was once a loyal man and he fought for what he believed in; freedom. He was poisoned by Palpatine his views twisted to fit what Palpatine wanted. He was a man of integrity and honesty but the Jedi hid things from him and allowed him to be poisoned against them. Anakin was a married man, he couldn't help the fact that he fell in love at first sight with Senator Amidala. He was pushed into a corner when he found out that he was to be a Father Palpatine used this to his advantage and made My master believe that he was saving his wife by becoming Darth Vader, I'm not being cohearsed like Anakin was, I got pregnant by accident and yes it is inconvenient for me and I'm sorry it makes me an outcast but my baby is a blessing as Anakin's was to him and the Senator. The Jedi failed me when I was sixteen and Skywalker's apprentice, they threw me to the wolves instead of dealing with my so called treason in house, they allowed me to be framed and I only came back because this was supposed to be a new order one where that would not happen Master Ti made me promises Maris and the Order has broken every word she uttered so the Order is still failing me even now so why should I stay?"

Maris gained a wise but defeated expression she ran her hand over the horns that covered most of her head and sighed, she was beaten the Jedi was failing her friend and she couldn't do much to stop it, she was just a Knight not a Master but she knew a Master that may just help her: Master Rahm Kota a straight talking harsh old man who she had recently started to respect even more than she would just any Master.  
Ahsoka regarded Maris with her hurt within her eyes, she knew Maris understood even if she had rambled on little too much. The wound from all that time ago still festered and was still open to infection and she knew this all to well, Shaak Ti had promised her that things would be different in the Order but it wasn't. It was still the same Order that pushed her Master to the Dark Side's withered claws. She rubbed her rounded stomach and waited for something to be said.

"I have been told that the new code will be drastically different to the one we were taught to abide by, we just have to wait 'Soka."  
"Well it's already too late for me isn't it? I fell in love Maris. I'm being shunned because I fell in love. Rex was the love of my life, the only man I have ever dated or slept with and I couldn't see it. The love I felt for him was so deep and amazing that I couldn't see that behind his gentle touch and soft passionate kisses there was a Monster lurking and waiting to strike without me knowing, when he hit me I soon found that the passionate _love _wasn't what I thought it was. And then I started feeling Ill and Shaak Ti soon told me I was pregnant by the Monster that hides behind Rex's warm and caring smile." Ahsoka admitted and began to cry, her body was racked with deep sobs that echoed threw the temple before Maris softly spoke again.  
"Maybe it's not to late for you 'Soka."

* * *

On the Death Star Cye stood with three of his men in front of a holo-projector, a white horizontal line floated from the bottom of the life sized image to the top and the image often shuddered the image of two women and a boy in what appeared to be his teens was shown in blue light as Larx finished his initial assessments.  
"Commander Larx I believe you have the location of an Admiral G. Marek?"  
"Yes I do Sir."  
A blue version of the missing man's Wife; Juno. M. Eclipse's hand flew to her mouth, she seemed to be relieved as a shorter thinner woman who looked to be younger hugged her and a tall and lean boy patted her back. They all seemed happier. Cye lost any colour he had to his face, he knew that what was coming was bad news and couldn't stand to see Juno's reaction to the next snippet of information they had.

Juno's blue image perked up when Larx cleared his throat to which Cye gave a curt nod before turning away and looking absently at the bulkhead.  
"Thank you so much for this Cye, I cannot tell you how worried I've been."  
"Do not thank me yet Juno, please you might wish to sit down." Cye said his control slipping.  
"What is going on Father?" Kallium asked, he didn't need to be a mind-reader to know that something terrible was about to be said. His blue image came forward, to stand beside his Father he looked into his Father's eyes and cocked his head, confused.  
Cali rubbed Juno's back she knew Juno needed to be comforted as if it was herself she would be in pieces hanging on to every breath, every sound that came.  
"Sir, Weshe know more about the next segment than I do." Larx said rather bravely for a man standing three meters from a serial killer.  
"Weshe, please pick up where Commander Larx left off."  
"Yes M'lord, everything or a summary?"  
"Juno?"  
"Everything please Cye." Juno said, it looked to Cye as if she was shaking but he could not be sure, he didn't have much experience with Holo-projections and interpreting whether it was the shuddering or the actual person moving, he began to feel worry in the pit of his stomach. Cali saw Cye's hand shake, unlike her previous Lover she could interpret what was going on and realised that what ever was coming was horrendous especially to break Cye's icy front.  
"Go ahead Weshe."  
"Aye Sir. At zero-two-hundred hours this morning, we finished our... Personnel check list and realised two spies that were stationed behind Enemy lines namely the Rebel Clones lines had not been recalled. At Zero-Three-Hundred-Thirty-Two hours this morning we made contact with the surviving spy, his partner had been executed after grueling hours of tortur-"  
"Weshe, get to it." Larx prompted not wanting to prolong Juno's misery.

Juno's image wavered, her knees were certainly shaking and she ran a hand threw her blue-white holographic hair before Weshe and Larx began to talk to try and cut the tale down so it was easier and they got it over sooner. Cye looked to the blue figure that seemed to be floating but Cye knew Juno was just sat with her feet up, he saw Cali tapping her foot impatiently and began to feel impatient himself, he turned to his son and tapped his wrist three times before folding his arms. Kallium nodded to his father and checked the time.  
"It's twenty to eight." Kallium told his Father in a hushed tone, before he began pacing.  
"Right, Weshe try now." Larx said before taking a seat beside the console.  
"The spy who I will call Z, informed us that he had been brought a new prisoner to interrogate, Mr. Galen Marek an Admiral in the Civilianist Army." Weshe finished before prompting the other two Imperials to exit with him.  
"I'm sorry." Each of them muttered before the door finally shut.

Even through a holo-projector her grief was unmistakeable. Juno's heart had shattered into millions of pieces before her as her worst fear had came true, tiny crescents blotted her image and soon Cye learnt how to interpret a holo-image.


	14. Rendezvous

As more and more Jedi returned to their ancient home, Ashoka Tano felt less and less at home. She had never truly stopped thinking of the Temple as her home, not even when she was lost on Shili with no credits of any kind and a helpful man with a familiar face found her somewhere to live. She still believed in the force and still meditated to relieve pressure and stress from her mind but now she was lost within her home and shunned by the people she called her '_family'._

The day started as normally as any other had, it was cold but the sunlight warmed her as it streamed from the little cracks and small window-like formations that remained in the main entrance of the temple, the floor looked almost like it once had when she was a child learning how to be a Jedi for the first time and looking up to the Chosen One. She sorely missed those days how she would return from the war and rest within the comforting embrace of the Jedi Temple. Back then in the 2old days she wasn't the outcast in fact there was no outcasts, they were one unit, one body and one soul split into several beings of peace not contempt.

As Ahsoka walked she saw the only Zabrak Jedi Knight that lived in the temple: Maris Brood talking to another Jedi. She walked or more precisely waddled over to Maris on sore and tired feet, she soon began to recognise the other Jedi as the humanoid Noirah Na, a woman who Ahsoka had met when they both were teenagers. A smile spread across Ahsoka's face, she finally realised why hope had remained in her heart after she learnt of the almost total annihilation of the order. The force had not died and so the Jedi who survived would return and feel at home again. Finally reaching the pair Ahsoka stretched.

"Ahsoka Tano? Little Ahsoka?" Noirah asked in a very feminine voice.  
"Yes, Noriah Na isn't it?"  
"Yes, ye-" Na stopped once she noticed the bump and her jaw dropped much to Maris' embarrassment.  
"Noriah?" Ahsoka asked confusedly until she realised the human's deep brown eyes were staring at her baby bump.

Tension polluted the once joyful air and threatened in a low whisper to cause Ahsoka more heartache. Maris not knowing what to do twiddled her thumbs, when in her head a debate was in full swing and it was her fear of being shunned as well against her sense of duty to Ahsoka. Noirah shifted from foot to foot unsure of how the Ahsoka Tano she knew could be pregnant especially with the dedication Ahsoka once showed the Jedi.

"Is there a problem with my appearance Noriah?" Tano asked irritated.  
"No, no I'm sorry I still think of you as that youngling I once knew and of course, I did not once think you of all people would go on to start a family." Noirah said smiling.  
"It's just me and the baby. It's Father is... unsuitable for parenthood. I must warn you of something Noirah," The youngest woman said.  
"Oh? Well don't be shy 'Soka, I've known you for years."  
"The... Other Jedi shun me as they do not know how to handle a pregnant apprentice who hasn't got a master because there is a shortage of knights to teach the apprentices. Many of those who have arrived have come with apprentices or injured by the Empire and are unable to teach so I bounce from tutor to tutor but recently... No-one will teach me because of my baby. I understand combat but the history of the Jedi? How can a pregnancy interrupt that!" Ahsoka said to her old friend.  
"Ah I see, well 'Soka I won't shun you and I won't even try to act like I know how to behave around you so I'll just be me and you can just be you."  
"Thank you Noirah."  
"Don't worry about it, so far the others have re-accepted me even though I don't have my weapon and haven't practised what I know in the several years since the purge."  
"Ah well you've got it easy." Ahsoka joked before Maris ushered Ahsoka and her knew ally further into their home.

* * *

A ship bound to rendezvous with an unlikely friend dropped out of hyperspace and began it's twenty minute voyage to the rendezvous location; just before the daunting grey sphere that circled Naboo. It was not an impressive ship, it was a donation from the BlackNinety group to the Jedi after one of Syen's heroic afternoons on the capitol planet. The ship held three people that had been asked/ ordered to return to Naboo to aid in the rescue of the planet's beloved Admiral G. Marek. The passengers where Sub-General Syen and Kayl Sericius and Jedi Master Rahm Kota who were all off doing their own tasks aboard the small vessel. Syen was in the center of the largest of the three rooms; the smallest of which being the cockpit and the middle room being the bunk room. He was working tirelessly on his proposal plan for the rescue operation, the blue and white light from the holo he was using reflected in his brown eyes and gave his face shadows in unattractive places. He looked at it, shook his head: not good enough. He tweaked a few bits then smiled before grunting and rubbing his eyes. Syen Sericius was certainly tired after two days without sleep or rest of any kind.  
"Knock it off already boy! I'm tryina' sleep over here!" Kota roared at him.  
"Go and sleep in the bunk room then if not STOP COMPLAINING!" Syen barked back, he wasn't usually the type to shout or use threatening language; normally he was a polite, loveable and handsome man but without sleep and little food he was his own evil twin and Kota didn't let him forget it.

"For the sake of the galaxy, get some sleep hardshot." Kota growled.  
"We will be at the rendezvous with The Demolisher in fifteen minutes, that isn't long enough and you know it Kota."  
"Rest your eyes then! You're going to need your strength to kiss the Emperor's ass."  
"His my brother; I don't have to but in that case you should go rest, you know how much ass-kissing your going to need to do today."  
"Argh." Kota said before shooting a dirty look at the victor of the argument. "You win, wake me when we rendezvous. I don't want that ginger bastard aboard without me knowing."  
"Mhm."

Syen busied himself once more, he had to finish his proposal, Juno was counting on a strong plan to get her through the dark patch she was certainly in. Syen could imagine how she would be when he arrived - A distraught mess. He hated to think of her like that but it was the truth he knew how deeply Juno loved Galen. He loved Leia the same way but he knew he had to let go; Kayl needed him more and his first commitment was and always has been Kayl.

* * *

_"A few years ago I would have never believed you to have such humanity within you to notice emotion or even try to brighten my day by manipulating my thought patterns. I'd have never thought you'd have a child either being so young."_  
_"Times have changed, I have adapted and I feel for our small community. It is like my family."_

Cye remembered Juno's first kind words to him; an expression of gratitude after he pushed her too hard. He found himself missing the days he spent within the Naberrie Estate, where he was with his kind - Syen and Kayl - and people he cared for deeply, people he had even stated to be like family. He wondered how things had changed so drastically so quickly, he had always known that one day he would have to leave but he didn't realise how soon it would be. He knew he couldn't keep the attachments he had so foolishly created but it didn't stop him wanting to, he knew that he was created to be a lone assassin but what he didn't know was that he would want his attachments more than his Empire at times.

Cye looked through the viewport at the stars, he always knew that stars meant so much more than just something to look at when he was a child and now he was stood on his ship admiring them from afar, it seemed to him that all he would ever be able to do was admire from afar. He snapped from his self pity after seeing a black and blue ship appear in his view, he knew that to be Temple One which he knew contained his brother; who he hadn't seen since the argument they had. His nephew and the reformed Jedi Master known to most as Kota. Cye turned and headed out, he was going to keep this attachment even if it did make him vulnerable.

The ship had just docked when Cye joined the two most senior officers at the airlock and complimented them on their timing before folding his arms behind him and reapplying the mask he so famously wore.  
Kayl was the first to exit the ship, he bounded at Cye's upper thigh and hugged him, much to Cye's distaste. In private the gesture would have been welcomed but in a public venue it was far from acceptable.  
"You have gotten big Kayl." He commented before the strong frame of Syen Sericius appeared with Kota not far behind any closer and they would have jammed the airlock with the combined mass of their frames.  
"Emperor." Syen greeted coldly.  
"Mr. Sericius." Cye replied with a brief smile.  
"Emperor." Kota grumbled as Cye dismissed his officers and gestured for them to walk with him.  
"My name is Cye. Please do not refer to me by title when there is no need." Cye said looking Syen straight in the eye as he did so.

The other two men nodded there approval whilst Kayl held his Father's hand as they walked on.  
"I don't mean to be rude, Em-Cye but I believe we're taking Temple One down to Naboo?"  
"Yes, indeed we are but first I wish to show you something if the schedule will allow it?" Cye said looking at Kota with an amused look.  
"Ah but of course why shouldn't we indulge."  
"I would hardly call details of the... Mission indulgence." Cye replied as the Jedi nodded to him.

The men walked for five more minutes before entering a large command bridge that was infested with Imperial officers and a few Storm Troopers, all work ceased every set of boots stomped in unison and then after a brief salute, one of the senior officer's that Cye had just dismissed came forward.  
"M'lord, there is a transmission from Z. The priority is low b-" He began before Cye decided to interrupt him.  
"Send it to my Holo transmitter. I am here for other reasons."  
"Aye M'lord."

It was just as the Officer replied that Syen noticed the other Officers staring at him with wide eyes and confusion. He looked from corner to corner and saw the same expression everywhere he looked he then cleared his throat to attract Cye's attention.

"Yes Syen?"  
"Could I speak to you for a minute.. In private."  
"Yes. Master Kota can you watch my nephew?"  
"Uh me?"  
"Yes, you are Master Kota after all." He said repressing a smirk at the Jedi's expense, Kota nodded and picked Kayl up before an officer of lower rank directed him to an used corner to the far left, he nodded and made his way as he watched the two clones enter an office like room.


End file.
